1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new sealing structure of a liquid crystal panel and a method for manufacturing the sealing structure.
2. General Background
A conventional liquid crystal panel of a liquid crystal display device includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer between the substrates. A sealant is used to attach the substrates together and seal the liquid crystal layer between the substrates. The liquid crystal layer is located in a main display region between the substrates, and the sealant is located at a peripheral region between the substrates. The sealant acts to not only isolate the liquid crystal layer from the external environment, but also to firmly adhere the substrates together. A peripheral sealing track is defined at either or both of the substrates. Apertures are arranged within the sealing track in order to increase contact surfaces between the substrate and the sealant. Thereby, the strength of adhesion of the substrates is enhanced.
FIG. 4 shows a schematic, exploded, isometric view of a conventional liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal panel 1 includes a first substrate 1, a second substrate 12, a sealant 13, and a liquid crystal (LC) layer 14. The second substrate 12 is located opposite to the first substrate 11. The sealant 13 is applied between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12. The LC layer 14 is filled in an intermediate region cooperatively defined between the first substrate 11, the second substrate 12, and the sealant 13.
Further referring to FIG. 5, this is a cross-sectional view of part of the liquid crystal panel 1 once the liquid crystal panel 1 is assembled, such part corresponding to line V-V of FIG. 4. The first substrate 11 is a color filter substrate, which includes a first base plate 111, and a transparent electrode 114 formed on an inner surface of the first base plate 111. The first base plate 111 can be a glass substrate, and the transparent electrode 114 may be formed of indium tin oxide (ITO). The second substrate 112 is an array substrate, which typically includes a gate insulating layer 122 and a passivation layer 124 formed on an inner surface of a second base plate 121 in that order.
The first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are adhered to each other by the sealant 13. Thus the quality of adherence of the liquid crystal panel 1 is dependent on the quality of adherence of the sealant 13 with each of the transparent electrode 114 and the passivation layer 124 directly. A peripheral opening structure 126 is defined through both the gate insulating layer 122 and the passivation layer 124. The opening structure 126 provides a contact area between the sealant 13 and the base plate 121 directly, and increases an overall contact area of the sealant 13. However, even this configuration may still be insufficient to provide satisfactory adherence of the liquid crystal panel 1. Hence, there is a need for an improved sealing structure for manufacturing liquid crystal panels.